The Pink Box
by Monkums
Summary: A prototype product from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes causes quite a stir at Hogwarts and affects the lives of Hermione and Ginny in ways they never imagined...  Hermione/Ginny femslash
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is my second attempt at fanfic and I'm planning on this being a multi-chaptered story. This will be a Hr/G femslash piece so if that's not your thing, please utilize your browser's back button. Reviews and comments are much appreciated! Oh, and I just realized my double entendre with the story title but I couldn't think of anything else, lol.

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**The Pink Box**

"This is all your fault Hermione," Ron whined, as he dropped his books down onto the table with a thud. Harry plopped down into the chair next to him.

The three friends had just returned to the Gryffindor common room after an agonizing period of double Potions. Professor Snape was in an especially foul mood today. As was commonplace, he wasted no time chiding Harry and Ron for being miserable failures. Snape's mood became even more unpleasant when Hermione was able to correctly recite Dagworth's fourth law of potion making. In retaliation, he had assigned the Gryffindors a two foot long essay on recognizing the symptoms of moonseed poisoning and how to brew an antidote.

Hermione didn't respond but glared daggers at him.

"Come on, mate," said Harry. "It's not Hermione's fault that Snape is a lousy git."

Ron gave a snort. "Maybe not but we wouldn't have extra homework if she wasn't such a bloody know-it-all!"

At that remark, Hermione threw her quill down on the table and slammed her copy of Advanced Potion-Making shut. She stood up so violently she almost knocked over the chair she was sitting in. Ron had obviously hit a nerve.

"For your information, Ronald, I do not know it all," she fumed. "For example, I don't know why you insist on always being such a prat!"

Ron sat bolt upright in his chair. "Oi! That was uncalled for!"

"And calling me a bloody know-it-all was?"

Harry heaved a sigh. If he had a galleon for every time Ron and Hermione were at each others throats, he could buy enough Firebolts for the entire Gryffindor quidditch team. "Come on you two, it's not worth fighting about," he pleaded. "Let's just get it over with."

At that moment, Ginny came bursting into the common room. Upon seeing the death glare Hermione was giving Ron, she gave a small chuckle. Harry followed her gaze and then turned to her and rolled his eyes.

"My, aren't we all cheerful today," joked Ginny.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" asked Ron. "Oh, I know. You aren't stuck writing an essay for Snape because someone couldn't keep their mouth shut!" He gave Hermione a dirty look.

Hermione was about to open her mouth to fire off another retort when Ginny interrupted her. "Well this should brighten your mood," she said. "Fred and George just sent a box of some of the prototypes they're developing for the joke shop."

"Brilliant!" exclaimed Harry and Ron in unison. Ron snatched the package from Ginny's hands and started digging through it. "Fred and George told me they were working on this broomstick polish that jinxes the broom so it will only fly backward," said Ron.

"Hopefully they put some of that in the box," said Harry, with a grin. "We have a match against Slytherin this week!"

Ron pulled out a pink box and handed it to Ginny. "Here, Gin. This must be for you," he said. "It's pink so it probably has girl stuff in it."

"You are such idiot, Ron," she said. "Hey! You're not taking that whole box and leaving me with just this!"

Ginny made a move to take the box back but before she could reach him, he bolted up the staircase to the boy's dormitory with the box in hand. Harry gave a sheepish look to Ginny and followed his friend up the stairs.

Ginny unceremoniously dropped into the chair next to Hermione. "They are such prats," she muttered.

Hermione, who had remained silent through the whole exchange, turned to her best friend and gave her a serious look. "You weren't really going to try any of that stuff anyway, were you?" she asked. "If those are only prototypes, that stuff could be dangerous!"

Ginny laughed. "Oh, come off it Hermione! Fred and George wouldn't have sent it to us if it was really dangerous," she reasoned. "Besides, they always test the stuff on themselves first."

Unconvinced, Hermione shook her head. "It was bad enough when they were testing their inventions on students when they went to school here," she said "but now they're doing it from outside too!"

"So, shall we go up to my dorm and try this stuff out?" Ginny asked with a smirk.

Hermione looked aghast. "You don't really expect me to go along with this, do you?"

"Of course I do!" Ginny replied. Taking Hermione by the hand and pulling her out of her seat, she began to drag her friend toward the stairs. "Come on, it'll be a blast!" Ginny said, as she laughed at Hermione's feeble attempts to resist.

Resigned to her fate, Hermione begrudgingly followed her friend upstairs. "Yeah," she muttered, "a blast."


	2. Chapter 2

The sixth year dorms were empty. It was easy to pick Ginny's bed out from the rest. The bed was neatly made except for the copies of _Which Broomstick_ and _Quidditch World_ piled near the pillow. The redhead scooped up the magazines and sat them on the nightstand, tossed the box on the bed and flopped down next to it. Hermione was still standing in the doorway, unsure of her decision to be a part of this.

Ginny sat up on her elbows and glanced at her friend. "Well, come on then," she smiled. "Are you going to stand there all day?"

"Maybe," Hermione replied defiantly. "Maybe I'll just watch you test those products on your own and give you an 'I told you so' when something goes wrong," she said with a teasing grin.

The brunette walked across the room and climbed on top of Ginny's bed. She glanced at the top of the pink box and saw the words "WonderWitch prototypes" written in gold ink.

"Fred and George told me they're expanding their 'WonderWitch' line of products," Ginny explained. "The jokes sell well to boys but they want to get girls interested in their products too so they're branching out to make more useful items that will draw girls in to the store."

Hermione laughed. "Yes, I'm sure they'd love to have more girls in their store."

Ginny grinned and reached for the box. Inside the small box were 4 items: a tube of lipstick, a bottle of hair potion, a packet of bath salts and a bag of heart-shaped chocolates. There was also a folded piece of parchment inside.

_Gin,_

_Here are a few of the new products we're trying. Well, we're not trying them since they're for girls, but we've had Verity try some and it's worked out well. She still hasn't forgiven us for that rash she got but don't worry, we've worked that out that little kink since then._

_The lipstick looks black when you twist the tube but as you apply it the color changes according to your mood. We want some feedback on how appropriate the color is for each mood._

_The hair potion was really tricky to make but we think it will be a gold mine once it goes up for sale. Simply put some of the potion on your hair and tell it what style you want and your hair will transform. I'm sure we need to add more styles and there isn't a color changing charm in there for now but give it a go and let us know what you think._

_Lastly, there are bath salts. They're pretty straight forward. Similar to the lipstick, the salts will change their scent based on your mood. Dissolve them in water and once you step in the bath the scent will change. For example, if you're feeling tired, the smell of lavender will fill the air._

_Seems like a lot of our WonderWitch products are based on mood but girls are pretty moody, eh? Anyway, owl us back after you've had a chance to try them out._

_Fred & George_

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, do boys think the only thing girls care about is makeup and hair?"

"Come on, Hermione," pleaded Ginny. "Let's give it a go! I bet you've never had a makeover before."

Hermione opened her mouth to protest but one glance at the pout on the redhead's face made her think twice. Ginny was right. She never had a makeover before and it might be fun. It's not like she's had any other girlfriends to do things like this with and she trusted Ginny to not make her look like a total idiot.

"Alright, let's do it then," said Hermione. Ginny's pout instantly disappeared as she dumped the contents of the box onto the bed. "Wait a minute, what are the chocolates for? The note didn't say."

"They sort of look like something I've seen in Honeydukes before," said Ginny. "I'll bet it's Fred and George's way of bribing us to try this stuff out. They know I have a sweet tooth."

"I don't know Gin… if there isn't a note, I wouldn't eat one."

Before Hermione could warn Ginny further about trying the unknown chocolates, she had opened the pink plastic bag and popped one in her mouth. The taste was absolutely out of this world. The outside was a smooth dark chocolate and the inside had a strawberry cream filling. Instantly she felt warm all over and had a general feeling of euphoria.

"Merlin, these are delicious!" raved Ginny. "Hermione, you have to try-"

Ginny stopped mid-sentence and brought her eyes up to meet Hermione's. They had a glassy appearance, as if she was staring off into space.

"Um, Gin?" Hermione said tentatively as she reached out to touch Ginny's arm.

Ginny gave no response but continued to stare into Hermione's eyes. Her instincts had told her this was a bad idea! Who knows what was in those stupid chocolates? She'd wring Fred and George's necks if anything bad came out of this. The look on Ginny's face was beginning to worry her.

Hermione snapped her fingers in front of the redhead's face. "Ginny! What's the matter?"

Ginny continued to stare for a few more seconds and then all of a sudden, she seemed to snap out of it. She gave her head a shake and exhaled loudly, the warm feeling still coursing though her body.

"Wow…" she breathed.

"What was that all about? You scared me!" scolded Hermione. "I knew this was a bad idea. You didn't know what was in those chocolates! It could have been a disaster!"

"Disaster?" scoffed Ginny. "You worry too much Hermione. In fact, I feel really excellent. Very good."

"Well thank Merlin for that! Really, your brothers-"

But this time it was Hermione who had stopped mid-sentence. Ginny had gotten to her knees and was crawling toward Hermione on the bed. Her posture resembled that of a cat stalking its prey. She had a hungry look in her eyes like she was about to pounce at any moment.

The brunette tried to back away but was stopped by the headboard. She didn't have a second to contemplate her escape before Ginny was on top of her. Hermione sunk down into the bed as the redhead's arms were on either side of her head, her legs straddling the brunette's hips, effectively pinning her down. She let out a small gasp as Ginny lowered her head, not more than a few inches from Hermione's face and breathed, "I can make you feel good too."

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A/N: Yes, I know that's an evil spot to leave off at but I like a good cliffhanger every now and then. :D


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I forgot to mention in chapter one that this story is obviously a bit AU. Ginny is in her sixth year and Hermione is in her seventh. The Voldemort problem is non-existent for the purposes of my story. On with chapter three!

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Hermione was in a panic. What was she going to do? All of a sudden her best friend was on top of her with a look in her eyes like she wanted to rip her clothes off. Hermione could smell the intoxicating scent of chocolate and strawberries as Ginny's breath was mingling with her own, mere inches from her face.

Eyes flashing with desire, Ginny leaned in and brushed her lips ever so lightly across Hermione's. The brief contact caused Hermione's breath to hitch in her throat. Ginny slightly raised her head but before she could lean in again, Hermione quickly rolled to the side, catching the redhead off guard just enough to allow her to roll off the side of the bed and land with a thump on the floor. The brunette didn't even have time to think about the pain in her backside from the crash landing as she jumped up as quickly as she could and rushed to the other side of the room.

Hermione brought her hand to her mouth and ran her fingers over her lips. The kiss was brief and chaste but it was electric. What on earth possessed her best friend to do that?

Momentarily stunned, Ginny didn't realize what had happened until she heard something hit the floor. As she looked up to see Hermione scurry across the room, she dropped down onto the bed and propped her head up on an elbow. "Going somewhere, are we?" she said huskily, one eyebrow raised.

"Ginny, what were you thinking? Or _were_ you even thinking?" Hermione said, in a rather high-pitched voice.

"Of course I was thinking," she said with a smirk. "I was thinking how bloody hot my best friend is and how much I wanted to kiss those rosy red lips of yours."

"GINNY! Do you even hear yourself right now? What has gotten into you?"

Hermione continued to ramble on but Ginny barely heard her, for her thoughts began to stray to the moments just before this conversation began. The warmth she had felt inside when she looked into the brunette's eyes was almost too much to bear. It set a fire ablaze within her and she could think of nothing else at the moment but to capture her best friend's lips with her own. Those ripe, succulent, gorgeous…

"Ginny!" Hermione said shrilly. "Are you even listening to me?" She began to pace back and forth rather quickly. "I can't believe what just happened and I can't believe you aren't listening to me!"

"Oh don't worry, love, I'm hanging on to every word," she replied with a wink.

Hermione's jaw dropped and she suddenly came to a realization – the chocolates. The bloody chocolates! Ginny was her usual self until she ate one of those blasted chocolates and then voilá, she was a sex kitten on the prowl with Hermione in her sights. She had to find out what was in those chocolates! This posed a bit of a problem since the box was still on the bed near Ginny's feet. If she got too close, she might be drawn in again. Hermione thought about it for a split second and then with reflexes that would rival those of a professional quidditch chaser, she bolted across the room, snatched the box from the bed and sped out the door.

Hermione bounded up the stairs to her dormitory, grabbed her schoolbag, tossed the pink box inside and dashed back downstairs. As calmly as possible, so as not to attract unwanted attention, she walked through the common room and out the portrait hole. Once out of sight of her fellow Gryffindors, she ran as fast as she could to the owlery. She needed a quiet place to inspect the box and to send a letter to Fred and George to try and get to the bottom of this.

Once inside the owlery, Hermione struggled to find a suitable place to sit that wasn't covered in owl droppings. Mission accomplished, she reached into her bag and pulled out the pink box. At first glance it appeared to be empty. However upon closer inspection, she found a tiny piece of parchment partially stuck under one of the flaps on the bottom of the inside of the box. She unfolded it and read: "Cupid Creams: variation on Amortentia, unknown duration, possible side effects of fainting and drooling, as yet unconfirmed."

Hermione's heart started to pound rapidly. This was just great! Her best friend, thanks to her brothers, was now in love with her! She pinched the bridge of her nose, closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing. What was she going to do about this? First off, she would to send a letter to Fred and George threatening bodily harm if they didn't do something about it. She hastily scrawled a note on a slip of parchment and rolled it up.

Hermione called down one of the school's tawny owls and tied the parchment to its leg. "This must be delivered to Fred and George Weasley as quick as possible. I've asked them to reply immediately so don't let them send you off without one," she said to the owl. The tawny hooted in acknowledgment and took off.

Though doubtful she would be able to concentrate, Hermione pulled a book from her bag and began to study her Ancient Runes text. She needed some sort of distraction while she waited to hear back from Fred and George. Every so often her mind would drift to the kiss and the vision of Ginny, straddling her on top of her bed. She couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she hadn't rolled off the bed and run away... Hermione shook her head as if to expel those thoughts from her mind and turned her attention back to her textbook.

After what seemed like hours, the tawny returned, thankfully, with a reply tied to its leg. She scrambled to open it and read aloud:

_Hermione,_

_It seems that Verity still hasn't forgiven us for that rash incident after all. We don't really know why, it only lasted a week… Anyway, she thought it would be a laugh to send along the chocolates to play a joke on us but it looks like it's backfired and the joke is on you. Sorry 'bout that._

_It's a Hogsmeade weekend for you so we'll pop on over to the Hog's Head around one o'clock on Saturday and discuss it further. Though really Hermione, is it that bad to have Ginny after you? You could do worse than our pretty little sister._

_See you tomorrow!_

_Fred and George_

Hermione was speechless. How could they make light of something that was potentially a serious problem? Ginny was her only female friend and this could really bugger things up. The brunette held out an owl treat for the tawny, which hooted happily and flew off to resume its place in the rafters. She collected her things and after shoving them rather forcefully back into her schoolbag, headed back towards the school with her impending meeting the only thought in her head.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This is a short one. It was a struggle to concentrate on writing, having seen the midnight showing of the new Harry Potter movie last night (this morning) and replaying that over and over in my mind. I really enjoyed the film and can't believe we have to wait until next summer for the last movie. Ugh! Anyway, I'm getting lots of hits on the story but barely any reviews, so please take a moment to let me know what you think. I'm new to this whole writing thing and would really appreciate some feedback and/or words of encouragement. Thank you to those who have reviewed already! :)

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Hermione was up at the crack of dawn the next morning, anxious about her meeting with Fred and George. To calm her nerves, she decided to head off to the library for a bit of reading. The library would be deserted this time of the morning and it was always a comfort to curl up with a good book when she was stressed. Wandering through the stacks, she decided to choose a volume on potions in the hopes that it might give her a heads up on how to deal with her current situation.

Just as she was reaching for a copy of _Magical Draughts and Potions_ up on the third shelf, she felt someone come up behind her. Immediately Hermione froze, unsure of what to do. She had a sinking feeling that she knew exactly who it was behind her. Forgetting about the book, she slowly lowered her arm to her side and closed her eyes. She needed an escape plan.

Hermione could feel warm breath on the back of her neck. There was that scent of chocolate and strawberries again, confirming that it was indeed Ginny behind her. Every exhale sent shivers up and down her spine. As she stood there frozen on the spot, the redhead's delicate fingers found their way to her shoulders and began to lightly trail their way down each of her arms until they came to a stop and entwined with her own. Ginny slowly inched closer to the back of her friend until their bodies were pressed together, still joined at the hands. Hermione gave a small gasp at the contact and squeezed her eyes shut even tighter.

"I want you, Hermione," breathed Ginny, her voice dripping with desire. She leaned her head forward and took the brunette's earlobe gently between her lips and lightly sucked on it. A small moan escaped Hermione's lips and she instinctively pressed her body back into her friend.

Ginny withdrew her lips from Hermione's earlobe and turned her attention to the brunette's neck. She lightly dragged her lips across Hermione's skin until she reached the nape of her neck, where she briefly flicked her tongue across the spot and then placed a kiss over top of it.

Hermione drew in a ragged breath. She had to force herself to think logically and rationally but the feelings Ginny was evoking in her were confusing. The kisses and the touches sent shockwaves through her body, something she had never felt before. But Ginny was a girl. She was a girl. And besides, Ginny wasn't in her right mind. She was under the influence of a love potion. These feelings were nothing more than the product of said potion and by no means reflected the redhead's true feelings, she reasoned. But potion or no potion, it felt undeniably wonderful to have another person so intimately close… No, she had to stop this line of thinking. It had already gone too far.

Hermione opened her eyes and withdrew her hands from the redhead's grasp, though their bodies were still pressed against one another. "Gin, this can't happen. You don't know what you're doing. This isn't you."

Left with no hands to hold, Ginny opted instead to rest her hands on Hermione's hips, eliciting a loud gasp from the brunette. In a silky smooth voice, she said, "I know exactly what I'm doing, love." She placed another kiss on the nape of Hermione's neck. "You're so beautiful, do you know that? From the moment I laid eyes on you, I was lost completely. There is no one else for me." Ginny slid her hands from Hermione's waist and reached for the brunette's shoulder to turn her around. With an agonizing slowness, Hermione turned around to face her best friend. Ginny reached a hand up to her chin, tilting her head so their brown eyes met. "Let me love you Hermione," she whispered.

Tears began to form in Hermione's eyes. She couldn't do this. It wasn't right. She had to get out of here. "I can't do this," she stammered. "I have to go. Now." Hermione wrenched free of Ginny's grasp and made her way through the maze of bookcases and out of the library.

Hermione tried to blink the tears away as she retreated. What the bloody hell had gotten into her? Why was she crying? This was all a bunch of silly nonsense started by that stupid pink box. She would talk to the twins this afternoon and get everything sorted out and then things could go back to normal… right? Or would things ever be 'normal' again? Oh, what a mess.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you very much for all the reviews and alerts! It makes me want to sit and write even more knowing that you guys are enjoying reading it. Not too much in this chapter, mostly dialogue. Hopefully I'm staying true to the character's personalities. I'm trying to, least. We'll see a little more action in the next chapter. Enjoy! :D

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Hermione was pacing around the dingy room inside the Hog's Head. The twins were half an hour late and she had already gone through two mugs of butterbeer, giving her a slight buzz. The extra time afforded her every opportunity to rehash the encounter with Ginny in the library. How did Ginny know she'd be there anyway? It was awkward being the object of someone's affections. Hermione used to think that she and Ron would end up as a couple but with the constant fighting and reluctance on both of their parts to take the initiative, she gave up on the idea. But here she was, in a situation where someone was interested in her and taking the initiative, albeit by means of a love potion. Before she could continue on that line of thinking, the tavern door burst open.

"Aberforth! How are you doing old chap?" said Fred. The barkeep looked up from cleaning glasses long enough to give a slight nod in his direction.

"Sorry we haven't been through lately," said George. "It's been a right sight at the shop lately, gearing up for the holidays and all. Stuff is selling faster than we can make it!"

The twins glanced the other direction to see a very agitated Hermione pacing across the room. "Hermione!" they said in unison.

Abruptly, Hermione stopped pacing and strode over to Fred and George. She was about a foot in front of them when she practically screamed, "Don't you Hermione me! Where have you two been? You're late!"

"Yeah, well you see, about that…"

George cleared his throat and spoke up. "What my dear brother is trying to say, is that we needed to do a little research on your problem before we headed over and it took a bit longer than expected."

"My problem?" she shrieked. "This is all because of you two that the problem exists in the first place!" Hermione walked over to a grubby looking table, pulled out a chair and sat down. She dropped her face into her hands and heaved a sigh.

Fred and George looked at each other, unsure of where to go next. Hermione on a rampage was reminiscent of their mother in a foul mood. They walked over to the table and took seats across from her.

George spoke first. "The chocolates were never intended to be sent out and for that we apologize profusely." Fred nodded in agreement. "The filling for the chocolates was still too experimental for us to release it to the public."

Fred chimed in, "Bloody right it was. When I ate one after we first created them, I fell in love with a coat rack for days. I was devastated when it ignored me, standing there all stiff and quiet." George sniggered. "First time I ever had my heart broken, that was."

"Once, he got poked in the eye with one of the hooks while he was trying to cuddle up next to it," added George. "It was hilarious!" The twins grinned at each other and then looked at Hermione, who was obviously not sharing in their funny memory. She had raised her head from her hands and was giving them a stare so icy, they each gave a little shiver and swallowed hard.

Hermione wanted to throttle the both of them. This was a serious situation and all they could do was crack jokes, not that she was surprised. "So, are you telling me that I'm going to have to put up with Ginny stalking me for a few days?" she asked.

Fred and George raised their eyebrows in unison. "Stalking you, is she?" said Fred.

Hermione didn't really want to divulge the details of what Ginny was doing to her, especially not to her brothers. She settled on a vague answer. "Um, well, yes," she stammered. "I've had to fend her off twice now but she's rather… persistent."

George took a deep breath. "Well, if you ask us-"

"Which of course you are, since we're here," interrupted Fred.

"We think that our little sis lusting after you isn't such a bad thing after all," finished George. "Honestly, you're a million times better than some of the gits she's been seeing." Fred nodded in agreement.

"Whether or not you think it's a good idea is beside the point!" blushed Hermione. "It would be one thing if she was lusting after me of her own free will but she's not. She's under the influence of your bloody potion!"

"Hey now, there's no need to use such strong language," said George, feigning indignation.

"The truth of the matter is that we don't quite know how strong the potion was for the batch of chocolates you received," Fred admitted with a sigh. "We've been playing around with different variations. After we confronted Verity about the chocolates, we were able to single out the batch you received but we haven't yet had time to break it down to get a good idea of how long she'll be affected by the spell."

"How long will that take?" asked Hermione, exasperated.

Fred and George stood up from their chairs. "We'll get on it as soon as we get back to the shop. In the meantime, you'll have to find a way to handle Ginny on your own."

"Yeah, sorry we can't help you there," said George. "Gin's always been a bit of a wild one. Should be a trip for you though," he finished with a wink.

Hermione didn't get up from her seat but stared at them in disbelief. This meeting was supposed to be productive, to give her an idea of how to handle this situation. She found out nothing she didn't already know and practically had the twins give their blessing on accepting Ginny's advances.

"We'll owl you when we figure something out," said George as they made their way to the door. "Good luck until then!"

As soon as the door shut behind them, Hermione dropped her head onto the table. This was just great. Now what was she supposed to do? She could only keep Ginny at bay for so long. She knew the redhead well enough to know that when she put her mind to something, she would see it through to the end. The only question in this case was how long it would take to reach that end and when all was said and done, where would her emotions lie?


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Another chapter already! I'm pretty proud of myself for working so diligently on this. I'm having a lot of fun writing it and hope you all have fun reading it. A little more action in this chapter. For now the rating will stay T but it may need to be changed in the future, depending on the direction it goes. Enjoy!

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It had been almost a week since her meeting with Fred and George and she still hadn't received an owl from them. Hermione had luckily managed to avoid Ginny at every turn. It was ridiculous really, skulking along the corridors and looking over her shoulder all time. She was getting tired of hiding, not to mention that she missed her best friend. Ginny was the only other girl at Hogwarts, or outside of Hogwarts for that matter, that she felt comfortable with. She and Ginny would spend hours talking about anything and everything but all of that came to a halt when Ginny ate one of those chocolates.

As Hermione walked down the Charms corridor on the third floor, she reflected back on her encounters with her redheaded friend. Ginny's touches sparked something inside Hermione, yet she was unsure of that that meant. She had never pursued romantic relationships in the past. The kiss she shared with Viktor Krum in her fourth year was decidedly uneventful. He was sincere and very sweet but that kiss couldn't compare to the brief one she shared with Ginny in her bedroom. She sometimes though about what it would be like to kiss Ron but then he'd go and say something stupid and insensitive and she'd push those thoughts out of her head.

Like it or not, Ginny was stirring something inside her and it was scary. What if she started to accept Ginny's behavior and give in? Would she enjoy it? What if the kisses and touches turned into something more? What would happen once the potion wore off? Hermione was so absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't notice Ginny standing at the end of the corridor. The redhead had a smile on her face and a mischievous glint in her eyes. Before Hermione knew what was happening, a hand grabbed a hold of her wrist and pulled her into a broom cupboard, shutting the door behind her.

Hermione brought up her wand to cast _Lumos_ to see who was there but she was silenced by a pair of lips upon hers. In her surprise, the wand fell out of her hand and dropped to the floor. It was quickly forgotten as her mind was becoming cloudy from the intensity of the kiss. Her attacker's lips were firm, yet soft. Two gentle hands came up to cup either side of her face, eventually moving to entwine themselves in her brown curls. Instinctively, Hermione tilted her head to the side and parted her lips slightly to allow the kiss to deepen. The tingling sensation from her lips coursed its way through her body right down to her toes. Without thinking, she reached out to put her arms around her attacker and pulled them closer. She let out a satisfying moan. Bodies pressed against each other, Hermione could feel a pair of soft breasts pressing against her own as she threaded her hands through long silky hair. It took a few moments to realize what was happening before she abruptly pulled away with a gasp. She raised her hands to her lips and whispered, "Ginny…"

Struggling to catch her breath after such an intense kiss, Ginny smiled in the darkness. "I've missed you Hermione," she said in a husky voice. "From the way you kissed me back, I reckon you've missed me too." She took a step toward the brunette. Hermione felt Ginny coming closer again and backed up. She only managed to take three steps backward before she hit the back wall of the cupboard. Ginny closed the distance, leaving only a few inches between them. She brought her hands up and placed them against the wall, one of either side of the brunette's head. She leaned in to whisper in Hermione's ear. "Do you have any idea what you do to me, Hermione?"

Hermione shuddered at the sound of Ginny's voice. Lust and desire were so evident in her words that it made Hermione's face flush and her heart race. She knew it was a bad idea to be trapped between Ginny and the wall but her body was responding to this seduction before her brain could catch up. "Ginny, I don't think this is a good idea," she said in a shaky voice, not sounding entirely convinced that is wasn't.

Ginny leaned in and brushed a kiss across Hermione's collarbone. She gave a small chuckle. "Are you sure about that, love?" she said. "You don't sound like you mean that." Ginny moved one hand from the wall and placed it on the brunette's chest, just over her heart. Hermione inhaled sharply. Her heart felt like it was going to burst from her chest. "Your heart seems to be betraying you. I can feel what I do to you. You enjoy my kisses." She placed another kiss on Hermione's neck. "You enjoy my touches." She moved her hand from over the brunette's heart to graze across her breasts before resuming its place on the wall, caging Hermione in once again.

Hermione couldn't stand it anymore. If she stayed here another second longer she would lose her resolve completely and give in to Ginny. She wasn't ready for this. This was all so confusing. "Ginny, please, I need to leave," she said. "I have to get to Charms class and I can't be late."

Ginny sighed and gave a small laugh. "No, we mustn't allow that to happen. You've dropped your wand. Let me get it for you."

"No, that's ok. I can find it on my way out," said Hermione.

"Nonsense. I caused you to drop it. The least I can do it find it for you." Ginny bent down to retrieve Hermione's wand. She felt her way along the floor until the tips of her fingertips bumped into it and then picked it up. Still kneeling down, she pointed the wand at Hermione and gently pressed it into her friend's leg.

"Ginny, what are you doing?" Hermione asked, with both worry and confusion in her voice.

Ginny slowly began to drag the wand up Hermione's leg. Hermione's skin was set ablaze as the wand made its path upward. With an excruciating slowness, the wand moved up her thigh. It caught on the hem of her skirt, pulling it up several inches, causing Hermione to gasp, before the skirt dropped back to its proper place. Her wand continued its slow ascent over her stomach. Just before it reached her breasts, Ginny pulled the wand away and held it out in front of her. "Here you go," she said slyly.

"Thanks," whispered Hermione.

Ginny stepped aside to let Hermione pass her. She hated to let her go but figured if she pressed too hard now, it would only scare her away. All she could think about was Hermione's lips on her own, their bodies pressed together… She wanted Hermione so badly, the need was all consuming. It took every ounce of restraint she had to not rip her clothes off and ravish her friend right here and now.

Hermione rushed past Ginny and out of the cupboard. She pocketed her wand in her robes and reached up to make sure her hair was in order. It wouldn't do well for her to show up to class in a disheveled state. She needed to keep a calm exterior to hide the turbulent sea of emotions rolling around inside her. Hopefully no one would be able to tell how frazzled she was. She walked into the classroom and took a seat next to Harry. If she was able to concentrate on class after what just happened, it would be a miracle.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Finally a chance to update again! YAY! Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving holiday. I'm going to do my best to get at least a couple more chapters posted before I fly home for Christmas. Can't wait to get out of this Minnesota cold and snow! Enjoy the chapter!

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Charms class was a nightmare. Usually the first to master any charm, Hermione was noticeably struggling. Her wand movements were jerky and it was evident that she was distracted. As soon as class was over, Hermione quickly gathered her things and headed to the Gryffindor common room. As she stepped through the portrait hole, she gave a quick scan of the room to be sure Ginny wasn't lurking nearby, ready to drag her in a dark corner and have her way with her. Satisfied the coast was clear, she dropped her bag to the floor and flopped down on the sofa.

A few moments later the portrait swung open, causing Hermione to sit bolt upright on the couch. To her relief, she saw that it was only Harry coming toward her. He took a seat next to her on the sofa.

"Hermione," Harry started, "what's going on? You haven't been acting like yourself."

Hermione glanced sideways at him and could see the concern in his eyes. "Oh Harry," she sighed. "I don't know what to do. I'm so confused."

"So I've noticed. I don't think I've ever seen anyone show you up in Charms class," he grinned. "Or any class, for that matter."

She managed a small smile before dropping her head into her hands. "If I tell you what's going on, will you promise not to tell anyone? I couldn't bear it if anyone else found out, especially Ron."

Harry wasn't quite sure where this was going but agreed to keep her secret. "Ok, tell me what's going on and I swear I won't say a word to anyone."

Hermione took a deep breath. "Ok, well you remember the box of prototype products that Fred and George sent us?"

"Of course I do! Some of their new stuff is really brilliant," said Harry.

"You guys grabbed the big box and ran off upstairs, leaving that little pink box behind for me and Ginny. I didn't want to have any part of testing Fred and George's stuff but Ginny talked me into it." She let out a heavy sigh. "We took the box up to Ginny's room and dumped it out on her bed so we could sort through it. There were four items in the box but the twins had only given instructions for three of them. The item with no instructions was a small bag of chocolates."

"Ok, so what's so bad about that?" Harry questioned.

Hermione took another deep breath before continuing. "Well, the problem is that they weren't normal chocolates. I warned Ginny against eating any of them but you know how she is." Harry nodded in agreement and Hermione continued. "She put one in her mouth and then went into a sort of trance. She snapped out of it but then…" Her voice trailed off.

"Then what?" Harry asked. "It can't be too bad. I mean, Ginny's seemed fine every time I've run into her this week."

Hermione looked over at Harry. "You haven't seen any difference in her behavior?"

Harry shook his head. "No, I haven't. She has been doing exceptionally well at quidditch practice lately but she's an amazing player anyway. Maybe those chocolates energized her for the match on-"

Hermione cut him off. Before she could stop herself, the words came spilling out. "Ginny's in love with me!" she blurted out. "Harry, she ate one of those stupid chocolates and it had a love potion inside it. I've talked with Fred and George about it and they have no idea how long it will last or even how strong it was. The chocolates were in the box by accident. We never should have gotten them." Hermione looked as if she were on the verge of tears.

Harry stared at the brunette, wondering what to say that could make her feel better. Ginny was in love with Hermione? It was a bit shocking to think about. His best friend's little sister was in love with his other best friend. Harry had never heard of a love potion affecting two people of the same sex before, not that he knew much about potions. He wasn't repulsed by the idea, though it would definitely be weird to see them together in that way, especially if he saw them snogging each other... He felt his face flush and suddenly felt very awkward listening to Hermione tell him all of this. Regardless, Hermione was one of his best friends and he had to be supportive. He hoped she didn't start crying. He never knew what to do when girls started to cry.

Harry put his arm around Hermione's shoulder and drew her in so that she leaned against him. She dropped her head onto his shoulder. "I've been trying to fend her off for a week now," Hermione continued, "but it's been difficult. She's persistent and I can only avoid her so many times."

Harry gave a small chuckle and said, "Yeah, Gin doesn't mess around when she's after something."

"That's not the worst of it though," she said in a small voice. She opened her mouth to say something else but was interrupted by the portrait hole opening again. Ron, Dean and Neville came bursting in animatedly discussing the upcoming Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff quidditch match. Harry turned his attention to the boys who had just come in the room and therefore missed the rest of what Hermione was trying to say.

"The worst part is that I like it and I don't want it to stop," she finished with a whisper.

Hermione could hardly believe those words came out of her mouth. She gave a quick glance at Harry to see if he had heard her but he was distracted by the commotion the other boys were making. She jumped up from her seat on the sofa and grabbed her bag from the floor.

Harry turned back to her. "I'm sorry Hermione. What were you about to say?"

"Oh, it was nothing," she lied. "I'm probably just over analyzing the situation. Thanks for listening, Harry," she said as she made her way toward the stairs.

She climbed the stairs and opened the door to her room, relieved to find it empty. The last thing she needed right now was to have to listen to Parvati and Lavender giggle over the latest gossip. As Hermione shut the door behind her, she leaned back against it and closed her eyes. She had just admitted to enjoying what Ginny was doing to her. It was confusing having someone practically throw themselves at her, especially when she had never given it a thought before. Add in the fact that this person is also her best friend and a girl, only complicates the situation even more. No one had ever made her feel so wanted before and it was becoming addictive.

The truth of the matter was that Hermione hadn't wanted to leave that broom cupboard earlier today. Kissing Ginny felt wonderful and she could easily get hooked on that feeling. It would be a dangerous game to play, allowing the redhead to come so close.

A soft tapping on the window brought Hermione out of her thoughts. She opened the window and a small, snowy owl flew in. She removed the roll of parchment tied to its leg and handed it an owl treat from the dish on the window sill. The owl hooted happily and flew back out the window. As she closed the window behind it, she glanced at the parchment and saw that it was from Fred and George. Her hands were somewhat shaky as she unraveled the parchment and allowed her eyes to scan the page.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry for the wait on an update! I've been so distracted with the holiday season that I haven't had a chance to sit down at my computer and write. I'm not quite sure if I like how this chapter turned out, but here it is nonetheless. I'm not sure if I did a good enough job conveying each of the girls' emotions. Any suggestions would be great. I'm hoping to have at least one more chapter posted before I head home for the holidays next week. Enjoy!

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_Hermione,_

_Sorry we couldn't get back to you sooner. We actually worked out the problem days ago but we've been up to our eyeballs in galleons with the holiday season approaching._

_We were finally able to break down the formula for the filling of the batch of chocolates you and Ginny received. If you're not sitting down already, you should do it now. The main ingredient of the filling was indeed Amortentia but something else was there too. We think this batch must have been made that night we were brewing our mix for lie detecting lollipops because we found traces of Veritaserum in the filling as well._

_So, my dear Hermione, that means that even though our pretty little sister is under the effects of a love potion, there is also truth to what she says and does. We reckon that Ginny has had feelings for you for a while now but the love potion gave her the nerve to do something about it. Anyway, the effects should be wearing off anytime and she should be able to remember everything she's said and done once it wears off. After that, we don't know what she'll do._

_Whatever you decide to do, Hermione, is fine with us. Like we said before, we'd rather see Ginny with you than any of those other gits she's been dating. It might take Ron a while to come around but who cares what he thinks. Good luck!_

_Fred & George_

Hermione was in a state of shock. She had made it to the edge of her bed while reading the letter, which was good because her legs surely would have given out from under her if she hadn't. She let her fingers go slack and the parchment slipped from her hands and fluttered to the floor.

Hermione's brain was working overtime as a rush of emotions and questions flooded her mind. So according to Fred and George, Ginny actually means the things she's been saying and has wanted to do the things she's been doing. How much would she remember after the potions wore off? Would she be embarrassed by her behavior and regret everything?

In this short time, Ginny has managed to spark emotions inside Hermione that she never knew existed. The passion in Ginny's touches and kisses, however brief, left the brunette craving more. The more she tried to deny it to herself, the more she realized that it must be true. The idea was a bit unorthodox and Hermione had been rather asexual up to this point but there was no mistaking now that she wanted to be more than friends with her best friend.

Hermione leaned back on the bed and stared at the canopy above her. "What in the bloody hell am I supposed to do now?" she said with and exasperated sigh. She figured she had two options. First, she could let the potion run its course and try to avoid Ginny as best as possible. Second, she could stop all this silly nonsense with avoiding Ginny and let things play out. She'd already admitted that she liked the attention, so why not give in? The fact was that Hermione was terrified by the intensity of it all. Ginny was the most passionate person she knew and things could quickly get out of control. If this turned out poorly, she wouldn't be able to bear losing the redhead as a friend. After what seemed like hours of rehashing the same questions over and over in her mind, Hermione's brain finally gave out on her and she fell asleep.

It wasn't long before the sun dropped behind the horizon and the castle lights came to life. Hermione was still sleeping and therefore didn't notice the figure quietly slipping into her dorm room and making its way over to her bed. Moonlight from the window reflected off red hair as the figure gently lay down next to the brunette.

Ginny watched her friend as she slept. The moonlight streaming in from the window blanketed Hermione's face. She looked like a goddess. Ginny badly wanted to reach out and touch the brunette but didn't, for fear she might wake her. The redhead let her gaze wander to Hermione's mouth. The memory of kissing her sent a shiver down her spine. Oh how she loved the feel of Hermione's lips on her own, hands threaded in her hair, their bodies pressed together. A smile tugged at the corner of Ginny's lips as Hermione shifted a little and let out a small snore.

Ginny wondered how people could not see how wonderfully amazing this woman is. Sure, her bookish exterior and penchant for the rules could be a bit off-putting, but there was so much more to Hermione than that. She was a loyal and caring person who would gladly throw herself into harm's way to save a friend. She could also be goofy and silly but Ginny usually only saw that side of Hermione when they would spend time alone together. They were comfortable with each other. Eventually that comfort turned into something more, at least it did for Ginny. She wasn't quite sure how Hermione felt about her advances. One minute it seemed like the brunette wanted her attention and then the next minute she was doing her best to try and escape.

Ginny couldn't take it anymore – she had to touch her. She carefully reached for Hermione's hand and brought it to her lips. She placed a soft, lingering kiss on the back of the brunette's fingers and then returned the hand to its previous position, still entwined with her own. Ginny continued to cast a loving gaze over best friend until she too began to drift off to sleep, her hand still clasped around Hermione's.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Here's the last update before I fly home for Christmas. I'll be out of town for two weeks so I'm sorry to say you won't be getting an update until after I get back. Not only am I going to a warmer climate but I'll be seeing The Deathly Hallows again. YAY! Have a fun and safe holiday everyone! :D

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Several hours had passed with the two best friends sleeping alongside one another, hands still joined. Laughter and loud conversation filtered up the staircase from the Gryffindor common room. Hermione groaned as the noise roused her from her slumber. It had been a restless sleep. Even her subconscious was torn on what to do about Ginny. The brunette shifted on the bed as she went to stretch but realized her hand was trapped somehow. She lazily opened her eyes to see what had a hold of her hand and went rigid at the sight before her. There she was – Ginny Weasley, the girl who had permeated Hermione's thoughts for the last week, was now occupying the space next to her on the bed and their were fingers entwined. Hermione closed her eyes thinking it was a dream, but when she opened them again, Ginny was still there.

All at once a rush of emotions washed over Hermione. What should she do? No matter what, she couldn't allow herself to panic. Thankfully, Ginny hadn't been disturbed by her friend's movement and was still sleeping peacefully. Hermione took the opportunity to study the redhead. Though they had known each other for years, Hermione never noticed before just how beautiful Ginny was. She had the trademark red hair and freckles of a Weasley but shared little else in common with her brothers. Hermione allowed her eyes to wander over her friend's sleeping form. Years of quidditch training had transformed Ginny into a toned athlete, yet she never lost her softness or femininity. The brunette gave a slight blush as her scrutinizing gaze passed over Ginny's breasts and came to a halt at her friend's face. Hermione admired the delicate beauty of Ginny's face. She gave a small smile as she noticed the light patch of freckles on the redhead's nose.

Hermione's gaze lowered to Ginny's lips. Oh how soft and sweet those lips were. She had been intoxicated by Ginny's kisses, drunk on the passion the redhead conveyed in each one. Hermione's pulse began to quicken. However much she enjoyed looking at those lips, she would much rather be kissing them. Did she dare take things to the next level and make the next move? If she took the initiative and kissed Ginny now, there would be no going back.

Hermione was tired of running away. What she had come to realize she wanted was lying on the bed with her right here, right now. Without another moment's hesitation, Hermione began to inch her face closer to Ginny's. Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears, it was amazing that Ginny didn't wake up from the sound. The brunette closed the last bit of distance between them and pressed her lips against those of her friend. At once, an electric shock traveled from her lips to the rest of her body. The redhead gave a small whimper in her sleep, which Hermione took as a good sign and moved to deepen the kiss. She traced Ginny's lower lip lightly with her tongue, seeking entrance to her mouth and was rewarded for her efforts when Ginny parted her lips slightly to allow her access. Hermione withdrew her hand from Ginny's grasp and brought it up to cup her face. She lightly brushed the pad of her thumb over Ginny's cheek before moving her hand to entangle itself in her long, silky red hair. Ginny was subconsciously responding to Hermione's kiss with so much passion, the brunette almost thought she was awake. As much as she wanted this to continue, Hermione didn't want to take advantage of Ginny while she was asleep, though she doubted Ginny would mind at this point. Reluctantly she ended the kiss and slowly pulled away. As she drew back, she opened her eyes to see Ginny, now awake, looking back at her.

Ginny had been in the middle of what she thought was an amazingly realistic dream. The fog of sleep began to clear from her head and she realized that the dream was really no dream at all. She let out a whimper and was overjoyed when the lips that were on hers continued their passionate assault. She responded and allowed the kiss to deepen, sending waves of electricity through her body. All too soon, the lips that had brought her out of her slumber withdrew and she inwardly groaned at the loss of contact.

Ginny opened her eyes to see the face of Hermione Granger moving away from her own. Immediately, a huge smile formed on her face but she forced herself to wipe it away. She didn't want Hermione to open her eyes and see her grinning like an idiot. Just as she returned her face to a more serious expression, Hermione opened her eyes.

Both girls stared at each other for several minutes, neither sure of what to say. Finally, Ginny broke the silence.

"You kissed me," she whispered, a small smile now evident on her face.

"Yes, I know," Hermione whispered back.

"And?" asked Ginny. She moved closer to Hermione on the bed, their bodies almost pressed against one another. Ginny's hand came up to tuck a stray curl behind the brunette's earlobe before resting her palm on Hermione's cheek.

The brunette's breath momentarily caught in her throat. Her voice faltered a little when she spoke. "And what?" she whispered.

Ginny moved her hand from Hermione's cheek and began to teasingly trail her fingers down Hermione's shoulder and along her arm. Hermione's breathing became ragged and she shuddered a little at the touch. The redhead brought her face within an inch of Hermione's but stopped just shy of making contact. Their eyes met.

"And, do you want to do it again?" Ginny breathed seductively.

Hermione shyly gave a small nod. Merlin, did she want to do it again! She leaned forward in an attempt to capture Ginny's lips once again but before she could make contact, Ginny rolled away from her and got up from the bed. The brunette was momentarily stunned, confused as to what just happened.

Ginny stood with her back to Hermione and smoothed out her rumpled uniform. She wanted Hermione, yes, but she wanted the brunette to be sure about what it was that she wanted for herself. Right now she seemed too confused to be making such a big decision. Ginny couldn't do this half way. She needed to know that Hermione's feelings were equally as strong for her before she took things further. She had to keep cool, calm and collected but bloody hell, it was a challenge to not turn back around and pounce on top of the brunette. Instead she looked over her shoulder at a stunned Hermione and gave her a wink. "Good," she said, with a smile. Hermione's eyes following her as she went, Ginny walked across the room and slipped out the door.

Hermione stared incredulously at the back of the door. Visibly frustrated, she said aloud, "Did that really just happen?"

* * *

A/N: Hmm... what is Ginny up to?


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Finally, an update! Sorry for the wait! I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. It was great to be home for two weeks and I can't say I'm glad to be back in -20 degree weather, lol. I would have posted this chapter sooner but while building my new machine, I was the unfortunate recipient of a bad motherboard and the BIOS crashed. Luckily I hadn't disassembled this computer yet so I was able to get back online while I'm waiting for the new parts. Anyway, I'm not sure how much more there will be to this story. I feel like I'm coming to a point of closure with the girls getting things out in the open soon. If I decide to make things a bit steamier, I'll up the rating to "M" with the next chapter, though I've never written any sort of love scene and would no doubt butcher it into tiny little pieces. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! And now after that long author's note, I present to you chapter 10. :)

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It had been several days and Ginny was avoiding Hermione like the plague. Every time the brunette saw her friend in the corridors or on the grounds, Ginny always managed to slip away before she could catch up. Hermione desperately wanted to talk to the redhead – no, she needed to talk to her. After having a few days to replay their last interlude over and over in her mind, Hermione came to the conclusion that Ginny was acting far too rationally to be under the influence of the love potion anymore. According to her library research, individuals under the influence of love potions tend to act aggressively with very little self-control. It had started out like that, with Ginny wantonly throwing herself at Hermione, but then began to fade into something different. The redhead's recent behavior was more subdued, albeit no less seductive, and the sudden lack of attention from her left Hermione feeling at a loss.

An unexpected thump on her right shoulder brought Hermione out of her thoughts and back into the present. Everyone was making their way to the quidditch pitch for the Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor match. The match was going to be a close one. Hufflepuff was performing well this year but Gryffindor, as usual, was a force to be reckoned with. The crowd funneling down to the pitch was already stirring with excitement. Hermione lightly massaged her assaulted shoulder and shot an icy glare at the pack of first years that had bumped into her.

Hermione made her way to the Gryffindor box and took a seat at the front. She wanted to make sure she had a good view of Ginny. She missed seeing her friend and the thought of the redhead in that form fitting quidditch uniform made Hermione's mouth water. The absence of Ginny's affections had left the brunette with a very unfulfilled feeling, and with only a temporary relief found by revisiting the memories of their shared kisses, Hermione was worked up into a near frenzy. A flush crept across her face as she peered down over the edge of the box. The teams were forming up around Madam Hooch in preparation for the quaffle toss. She immediately spotted Ginny, her silky red hair pulled back into a ponytail and her face slightly pink from the exertion of the team's warm-up routine. Ginny was absolutely gorgeous in Hermione's eyes.

Finally, the whistle sounded and the quaffle was tossed into the air. Hermione's eyes locked onto Ginny's form as she zoomed around the pitch, weaving between opponents. She was an amazing flyer, graceful and quick. The brunette couldn't help but stare in wonder as she watched. She couldn't understand why she had never seen Ginny in this light before. They had been friends since Ginny's first year, after the basilisk incident. At first she was just being nice to Ron's little sister but it didn't take long for their friendship to evolve and eventually become best friends. Now, after the whole love potion mess, Hermione wasn't sure she would ever be able to go back to being just Ginny's friend. She needed more now. She'd had a taste of Ginny and didn't want to stop there. It was madness. And to think, it all started with a little pink box. That pink box turned into a Pandora's Box, unleashing a chaos that sent Hermione on a journey into unfamiliar and exciting new territory. She hated that box in the beginning but now she thankful for it and the opportunities it had presented to her.

A large roar erupted from the crowd and everyone around Hermione jumped to their feet. Hermione looked around in a daze. She could have sworn the game had just started. Checking her watch, she realized that she was so wrapped up in her thoughts and study of Ginny, she completely missed the entire game. The scoreboard showed 280-130, in Gryffindor's favor, no doubt thanks to a skillful job of catching the snitch by Harry. After a few victory laps, the players landed and made their way toward the locker rooms. Hermione waited for the rest of her fellow Gryffindors to filter out of the stands before she made her way down.

Instead of following the other students back to the castle, she turned the other direction and headed toward the locker rooms. If she was going to corner Ginny, this was as good a time as any. The redhead was the only female player on the team this year so she was guaranteed to be alone in the locker room. Hermione's heart quickened with every step. She could feel her palms start to sweat slightly beneath her gloves. As she reached the door to the girl's locker room, Harry came out from the boy's side.

"Hey Hermione!" said Harry. "Great game, wasn't it?"

She gave an awkward smile, unnerved by the interruption to her plan. "Um, yeah," she stammered, "great game, Harry."

Harry frowned. "Are you alright Hermione?" he asked. "You look a bit pale. Are you feeling ok?"

"I'm fine Harry," she lied. "I just needed to talk to Ginny."

"Oh, well she should still be in there," he said.

"Thanks," the brunette replied as she reached out to open the door. It was now or never.

"Hey, Hermione?" he asked. "I just want you to know that whatever happens, we'll still be friends. Whatever you decide to do is ok with me."

She turned to Harry with tears forming in her eyes. "Thanks, Harry. You're a great friend, you know that?" The brunette gave him a small smile and then opened the door and slipped inside.

It was steamy in the locker room. The sound of running water could be heard in the distance. This was it, Hermione thought. The moment of truth. She began to pace back and forth as she waited, growing increasingly nervous at the prospect of coming face to face with Ginny wearing next to nothing. Merlin, if she walked out into the room naked, Hermione was going to melt into a puddle right there on the spot and all would be lost. She had to keep her cool. After a few minutes, the sound of the water stopped. The ensuing silence was deafening to Hermione. Her heartbeat was pounding in her ears, echoing inside her brain.

Ginny rounded the corner from the showers, one towel wrapped around her head, another wrapped around her body, and stopped dead in her tracks. To her surprise, Hermione was standing across the room staring at her. The redhead was caught completely off guard by the sight of her best friend. She had done so well avoiding the brunette the last couple of days. She knew Hermione had been trying to track her down but had managed to stay out of reach until now.

Hermione opened her mouth several times to speak but then promptly closed it again, not sure of what to stay. She took a deep breath and finally managed to squeak out, "Ginny, we need to talk."


	11. Chapter 11

**Update 4/14/11: I couldn't find a way to post this without updating the whole chapter, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I will not be writing one last chapter for this story as I had hinted at before. I just can't seem to get the sex scene right and I've been so busy reading other fics that I haven't had time to really work on it. I'm also distracted by the thought of writing something for another fandom, Glee, so it's going to have to end here. Thank you all again for reading and encouraging me along the way. :)**

A/N: I know you all must think I'm an evil bitch for leaving lots of cliffhangers but I just love them! I really am a shameless tease when it comes down to it. ;) It took me forever to write this chapter because I wanted to get the dialog between the girls to the point where everything was out in the open. Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything. If I have, let me know. This is the moment we've been waiting for. :)

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Ginny studied her friend across the room. Hermione looked worn down. Her hair was frizzy, flying all over the place. Her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily. It was difficult for the redhead to stifle a giggle, seeing her friend in such a disoriented state, but she didn't want Hermione to misinterpret it and think she was laughing at her. Ginny gently bit her lower lip and looked away. She started toward her locker and took a seat on the bench in front of it. The redhead removed the towel wrapping around her head and proceeded to brush out her wet, red locks.

"Hermione, you said we needed to talk and I agree," she said. "Are you going to just stand at the door all day or are you going to come and sit here and talk to me?"

Hermione thought about moving for a second before she decided it was best to not come too close to Ginny at least not yet. She needed to get some things off her chest and the closer in proximity she was to the redhead, the harder it would be to focus. "No, I'm fine here, thanks."

"Suit yourself," Ginny shrugged. "Out with it then." Ginny knew she was being a bit cruel, feigning disinterest in what the brunette had to say, but it was the only way she could keep from falling to pieces.

Startled by the coldness in Ginny's voice, Hermione began to speak. "Right. Ok," she stammered. "I don't know how to say all of this so I'm going to just keep talking until I can get it all out." She began to pace again, wringing her hands in the process. "You make me feel something something that I've never felt before. No one has ever truly shown an interest in me romantically until that night with the chocolates. Your behavior that night startled me and then you kept pursuing me day after day... I was unnerved by it and the fact that you're a girl made it even more confusing. I tried to keep away but every time you touched me, it got harder to do so, especially once I realized you weren't under the influence of the love potion anymore. That was the real eye opener for me because I knew that you were still pursuing me because you wanted to, not because something else was influencing your actions." Hermione abruptly stopped pacing and looked at Ginny. The redhead lifted her eyes and met Hermione's. "Please look at me when I tell you this because I don't think I can otherwise," she pleaded, almost in a whisper. Ginny held her gaze and gave her a slight nod, urging her to continue. "It's driving me crazy, this back and forth game we've been playing. I can't keep playing because it's not a game to me anymore." Hermione let her voice trail off, a single tear running down her cheek. "Ginny " she said in a strained voice, "I love you."

"You love me?" Ginny asked quietly.

Hermione wasn't sure how to gauge Ginny's reaction. She just sat there stoically, listening patiently to everything the brunette had to say. "Yes, I love you," Hermione said, now with more tears streaming down her face. "I love you and it scares the hell out of me! It scares me because I've never needed anyone in my life as much as I need you right now." She broke eye contact with Ginny and directed her gaze to the floor. It was all in the open now. She pulled her heart out of her chest and laid it bare before the redhead. Now the question was what Ginny would do with it.

Listening to Hermione's confession, Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. She reckoned this could have gone one of two ways, and this was most definitely the way she hoped it would go. Now it was her turn to confess her feelings to Hermione, feelings she had kept bottled up inside for so long. Ginny only hoped she could keep it together long enough to get it all out. The redhead stood from her seat on the bench and turned to face Hermione. She was still across the room, looking defeated and quietly sobbing to herself. Ginny reigned in the instinct to rush over and comfort the brunette. She couldn't allow herself to get close to her, at least not until she'd said her piece.

"Hermione, look at me," she pleaded. "Please look at me." Hermione sniffled a few times and wiped the tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. She brought her eyes up to meet Ginny's and held them there. The tension in the room was so thick it was almost tangible. Ginny drew in a ragged breath and began. "I've loved you from the first time I saw you. I was eleven. I was with my family in Flourish and Blotts buying our school books and I saw you across the room, standing with your parents. It took me almost a year to pluck up the courage to speak to you, especially after the incident with the diary. You were so kind and comforting to me after you were unpetrified, even though I was the cause of it all. We became friends and as our friendship grew closer, the more scared I became of how I felt." Ginny stopped to take a breath and gave a weak laugh. "I mean, girls aren't supposed to like other girls. They're supposed to like boys, right? Not only was I in love with a girl but she was my best friend too." Tears started to form in Ginny's eyes but she didn't break eye contact with Hermione. "I felt ashamed of myself for feeling that way about you. It wasn't right. So, I started dating boys to make it go away, but it never did. I couldn't stop loving you no matter how hard I tried. I learned to control my feelings and kept them to myself. It killed me to be so close and yet so far away from you at the same time but I didn't want to risk losing our friendship by telling you how I felt. That night with the chocolates I wasn't myself. I mean, I was myself but I was different."

Ginny sighed and wiped a tear from her cheek. "Merlin, that sounded stupid," she muttered under her breath.

"Anyway," she continued, "whatever was in those chocolates took hold of the desires I'd hidden away for so long and brought them to the surface. I was aware of what I was doing but I couldn't really control it. In some ways it was a relief to finally be able to say and do the things I've wanted to for years. That day that I trapped you in the broom closet while you were on the way to Charms class, after you rushed out into the corridor, a sinking feeling came over me and I collapsed to the floor. I'm not sure how long I was there before I came around but it was then that I knew the spell had worn off. It made me feel sick thinking that I might have permanently damaged our relationship. I went to your room that night to tell you everything but you were asleep. You looked so beautiful lying in the moonlight, I couldn't bear to wake you so I laid down next to you and watched you until I fell asleep myself."

Both girls were sobbing now, caught up in the emotion of the moment. Hermione took a few steps closer toward Ginny as the redhead continued her story.

"When I woke up, you were kissing me. I couldn't believe it you were actually kissing me. It was so hard for me to get up from that bed and leave you. I tried to keep the ruse of the potion going a little bit longer because I wanted you to be sure of your feelings for me. I know it was selfish of me, but I didn't want you keep kissing me for the wrong reason. I wanted you to kiss me because you wanted to. After that, I avoided you to give you time to think and also to give myself some time to think about what it was that I wanted. It sounds kind of manipulating when I say it out loud like this, but that was never my intention. I love you so much and I didn't want to push you into something you didn't truly want. I knew you'd figure out the potion had worn off eventually and well, here we are now."

Hermione tried to digest everything Ginny had said but everything came out so quickly, it was hard to keep up. She was completely unaware of the redhead's feelings until now. She had come to the conclusion that Ginny was free from the love potion's influence but was dumbstruck by the revelation that Ginny had loved her for years. How could she have been so blind to it? There had to have been signs along the way that she had missed. She felt as oblivious as Ron right now.

"Hermione, please say something," Ginny pleaded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Hermione stared at the redhead, her brown eyes boring into Ginny's. She couldn't find the words to speak Ginny's confession had left her speechless. Words failing her, she quickly closed the distance between herself and the redhead. Pressing Ginny up against the lockers, she crashed her lips down upon the redhead's with the fury of a madwoman. Hermione threaded her hands in Ginny's still wet hair. Momentarily stunned, Ginny realized what was happening and returned the kiss. She poured 5 years worth of emotion into that kiss, releasing the passion she kept buried deep within. Ginny snaked her arms around Hermione and grabbed onto her hips, pulling them against her own. Both girls softly moaned in pleasure at the contact. Ginny was now sufficiently trapped between Hermione's body and the lockers, still clad in nothing but a bath towel. After what seemed like an eternity, Hermione was the one who finally broke the kiss and pulled back slightly from Ginny, their foreheads leaning against one another. Both girls were breathing hard.

"Wow " breathed Hermione.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Ginny said, panting.

Hermione took a step back and tried to steady herself. The kiss had left her weak in the knees. "So, where do we go from here?" Hermione asked. "What happens now?"

Ginny thought about it for a moment before she reached out and grabbed Hermione by her jacket, pulling her in for another passionate kiss. This time it was Ginny who broke the kiss. The redhead moved her hand to where the bath towel was tucked in, keeping it wrapped around her body. Hermione's breath hitched as she watched Ginny's fingers slowly pull the piece of fabric out of place. The towel slid to the floor and Hermione got the first full view of the gorgeous creature that was Ginny Weasley. Hermione couldn't hide the blush creeping up her face as her eyes wandered over the sight before her.

"Oh, I don't know," teased Ginny. She flashed Hermione a wicked grin. "I'm sure that between the two of us, we can come up with a couple of ideas."

Hermione brought her eyes up to meet Ginny's and raised one eyebrow. "A couple of ideas?" she mused. "With all the teasing you've been putting me through since we first opened that damned pink box, I know we can come up with more than just a couple. In fact, I do believe that it is now my turn to be in charge," she said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Ginny could do nothing but smile at that comment. "I love you, Hermione."

"I love you too, Ginny."


End file.
